Few places celebrate turkey like Mexico. It is where the turkey was domesticated, and there are scores of great recipes for these birds there. This is a traditional Yucatan turkey recipe, using legs, thighs and wings that are marinated, grilled, then braised.

The moment I shot my first javelina, I knew I needed to make cochinita pibil. My instincts were not wrong. This is slow cooked, pulled meat (normally pork) marinated in citrus and achiote (annato) paste. Damn good on tortillas with pickled red onions.

Mole, pronounced “mole-ay,” is a set of masterful, rich and luxurious sauces from Mexico. There are seven great moles from Oaxaca in the south, and this is one of them. Mole chichilo is actually served with venison there, so I thought I’d recreate the recipe here for you. If you make it, you’re in for a treat.

This is a bit like venison barbacoa, but this version, from the Yucatan in southern Mexico, is so zippy it’s just as good eaten as a cold salad. Either way, this is an excellent recipe for a front shoulder, neck or roast.

Braised pheasant thighs with parsley roots. Parsley wha? Yep, there is a variety of parsley that grows fat, juicy roots. But parsnips or carrots would work just fine in this lovely, delicate, late-winter recipe.

If you’ve never braised pheasant thighs, you’re missing out. Unlike the drumsticks, which can be fiddly, the thighs on pheasants (and wild turkeys) are sublime when slow cooked. This recipe is based on a French one and uses lots of mushrooms.